A Lost Leader

Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips), 1866-194Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.1

Word count: 412K words
Chapters: 42

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.A Lost Leader by E. Phillips OppenheimAuthor: Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips), 1866-1946,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Nov 14, 2005

Editor's review

A Lost Leader is an English-language novel by the British popular fiction writer E. Phillips Oppenheim, a classic popular-literature title in the public-domain ebook project. The work continues the author's trademark suspense narrative and themes of social intrigue, centering on a leader who has disappeared or fallen from power, and combining adventure, politics, and tests of human nature. As an old-era novel for general readers, its language is relatively plain and its chapters move briskly, making it suitable as an entry point or light reading in English literature. Its greatest value lies in giving readers low-cost access to the narrative rhythm and character-building methods of early twentieth-century British popular fiction, while observing how that era imagined power, loyalty, and personal choice. For reading settings, it suits segmented reading during commutes, before sleep, or on short trips; it can also serve as supplementary reading for English learners to expand vocabulary and become familiar with narrative style. Note that public-domain ebooks usually lack modern annotations, and the formatting mainly follows the original text, so readers must adapt to old-fashioned expressions and the historical background on their own.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers who enjoy English popular fiction, suspense, and adventure
Readers who want low-cost access to early twentieth-century British literature
Upper-intermediate and advanced English learners using it for extended reading and language intuition training
Readers who need light entertainment for commutes or fragmented time

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer modern fast-paced suspense and lack patience for old-style narrative
Beginner readers who need academic annotations, introductions, or a Chinese translation
People with high demands on the formatting and proofreading quality of public-domain ebooks

Reading tips

Read the first three chapters to confirm the narrative pace and character relationships before deciding whether to read the whole book.
Prepare paper and pen or electronic annotations to record character identities and key clues and avoid confusion.
Read one or two chapters at a fixed time each day to maintain plot continuity; suitable for fragmented time.
After finishing, review the key turning-point chapters to sort out the author's techniques for building suspense.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book in Chinese or English?

This is the original English edition from a public-domain ebook project. The main text is in English with no Chinese translation attached. It is suitable for readers with some English reading ability to read the original directly.

Will it be difficult to read without annotations or an introduction?

This is popular fiction, and the language is generally plain, but it involves early twentieth-century social background and old-fashioned expressions. Readers can use a dictionary or online reading tools for support; there is no need to check every word, and the priority is understanding the plot and character relationships.

Is it suitable for learning English?

It can serve as extended reading for upper-intermediate and advanced English learners. Its narrative style is clear and there is plenty of dialogue, which helps familiarize readers with the feel of fiction; but it lacks modern annotations, so using a dictionary alongside is recommended, and priority should be given to reading interest rather than sentence-by-sentence close reading.

How is the formatting and proofreading quality of the electronic edition?

This book comes from a public-domain ebook project and is usually entered from the original text or organized from scans. The formatting is mainly plain text, and there may be old-style punctuation or a small number of transcription differences. For a better experience, use reading software with adjustable fonts.

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About the author

Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips), 1866-194 Author

E. Phillips Oppenheim (Edward Phillips Oppenheim, 1866–194) was a writer known for mystery and espionage fiction. Public information about him is limited, and the biographical details in our records are incomplete. The existing catalogue shows that he was a prolific author, with 61 of his works held on this site, including The Great Impersonation, The Double Traitor, The Governors, The Lost Ambassador, The Yellow House, and Stolen Idols. These works generally centre on disguise and false identity, political intrigue, detective pursuit, and adventure; their plots are tightly paced and full of suspense, and he was skilled at advancing the narrative through complex relationships among characters. His works are often classified under inspirational growth, reflecting readers' interest in the choices and turning points of fate faced by his characters.